Coffee cup sphere lamp

Step 4 Placing the lamp

So now you take the last cup, heat up your scriber and burn a hole in the bottom. Place the big washer under the underside, tie a knot in the electrical wire and put it through the hole from the outside. Attach it with the split bolts trough some holes (which you'll have to meld with the scriber first off course) with the small washers in between to prevent them slipping through. Now you can easily remove the cup if the lamp is broken.
Never mind the paper clips you see on the photos before, those where a first try to fix the last cup in place: It didn't work.

Your lamp is finished (only have to hang it on the ceiling and put the wires on the electricity off course. Be careful with that!).

Let it burn!

Comments

[gzech]

How many cups did you use? 300?

[kylek]

it would look really cool if you put different colors in the bottoms of each cup some how. maybe like plastic disks or even clear cups painted with semi translucent paint.

[coolboy45]

do you think this could be fitted onto a normal table lamp?

[Aeolus]

If you take smaller cups that would certainly be possible. The diameter with these cups is about 65 cm (2' )

[rbormann]

When I was much younger, I made one of this but I used glue, not staples and it worked very well, the cups never got loose.
The only difference in my construction is that I started by making the middle  circle, and went building the ball.

[Aeolus]

Yes, that was I thinking after I made it; beginning in the middle. Glue would be a good replacement for staples, especially if you use something like silicone-caulk. But I wanted something quicker, and I always like to use mechanical junctions.

[rbormann]

You're right. Glue has it's own setting time and I also can't wait to see it built, he, he, he...
The only advantage in building it from the middle is that you can fix the socket with more ease and if you have someone to help you, you both can work it out in the half of the time!
Greetings

[sfcsarah]

does it get hot? Is it dangerous?

[Aeolus]

Well, thats why I recommend using a energy-efficient bulb, those produce a lot less heat. I wouldn't concern it dangerous.I haven't used it with a normal lamp but I can imagine that it could get hot. I think papercups can stand more heat. The sphere is big enough to keep the lamp from the edges and there are enough holes for cooling.

[teapotking]

 Better still, you could buy (or make, they're not too difficult) one of those energy efficient L.E.D arrays! It would put out very little if any heat, it's brighter than a light bulb and It uses less energy than even the energy saving bulbs. you just wire them up to the cable that comes out of the ceiling and leave it hanging inside the chandelier, because normally they are actually mounted sunk into the ceiling.